Process and apparatus for the treatment of loose fibrous material



v Sept. 22, 1970 H. FLEISSNER 3,529,446

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF LOOSE FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Dec. 27, 1968 love/liar:

lklivz a 's/vex United States Patent rm. c1. D21 9/52; D06f 35/00 US. Cl. 68-3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure is directed to a process and apparatus for the treatment of loose fibrous material which comprises a flexibly mounted vibration chute, means for introducing the material being treated to the vibration chute, opposing squeeze rollers disposed behind the vibration chute, the discharge end of said vibration chute extending in close proximity to the nip of said squeeze rollers, a liquid distribution means provided above the vibration chute for introducing a liquid into said chute and conveying means disposed behind the squeeze rollers and in close proximity thereto, said conveying means having stripping lips which project beyond the conveying surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of loose fibrous material by means of squeeze rollers and a flexibly mounted vibration chute arranged in front of said squeeze rollers wherein the discharge end of the vibration chute extends in close proximity to the nip of the squeeze rollers and/or close to the bottom squeeze roller.

Devices for impregnating loose fibrous material are well known. However, these devices exhibit the disadvantage that in case of a nonuniform feeding of the loose fibrous material, a nonuniform squeezing and thus a nonuniform takeup of the treatment medium results. This is particularly detrimental if the fleece of loose fibrous material possesses some voids or gaps. With these devices, it is furthermore disadvantageous if the liquid which flows back from the nips of the squeeze rollers makes the fleece which is being fed, float apart, thereby creating additional holes and gaps in the fleece.

In order to eliminate these deficiencies, a device with a vibration chute has already been suggested. By utilizing the vibration chute, the gaps in the fleece are closed and the loose fibrous material is made uniform or equalized. Up to now, vibration chutes have only been known as conveying means, for example in the mining industry. Also, vibration chutes are used for removing tension from woven textile fabrics.

In the device which has already been suggested, such a vibration chute is combined With a squeezer in such a way that the discharge end of the vibration chute nearly extends to the nip of the two squeeze rollers, so that the material to be squeezed is guided near the inlet slit of the two rollers. The fleece is not floated apart by the liquid which flows back from the nip because the material is already held by the squeeze rollers at that point.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to avoid the prior art disadvantages in the treatment of loose fibrous material, for example synthetic and natural fibers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved process and apparatus for the treatment of loose fibrous material wherein coarse materials as well as fine materials can be effectively treated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved process and apparatus for the treatment of loose fibrous material wherein a liquid treatment is applied to said material in a uniform manner and in predetermined quantities.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Pursuant to the present invention, it has been found that the above-mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated and a much improved process and apparatus for the treatment of loose fibrous material, particularly synthetic and natural fibers, may be obtained by providing a vibration chute in association with a pair of squeeze rollers and by arranging above the vibration chute and/or above the squeeze rollers a liquid distribution means, for example an overflow gutter or a spraying device and by further providing a conveyor belt behind the squeeze rollers, said conveyor belt advantageously containing elastic stripping lips which project beyond the conveying surface. For the fleece formation, a hopper feeder should be set up in front of the impregnating device. Advantageously the hopper feeder is a drum hopper feeder which feeds the material directly to the vibration chute.

In order to avoid contamination of the overflow gutter by fiber fly, it is suggested, according to the present invention, to arrange a bafile plate or a guard for the loose fibrous material directly in front of the overflow gutter. An overflow gutter offers the advantage that the treatment liquid is applied to the loose fibrous material as a uniform thin film and that fiber particles which may possibly be contained in the treatment liquid, for example the dyeing liquor, have no detrimental eflects such as the clogging of nozzles in the case Where a spraying device is utilized. However, a spraying device can be used if a fluff filter is provided in the supply line.

The apparatus of the present invention functions effectively if coarse materials, for example carpet fibers are handled and accordingly an absolutely uniform dye liquor application can be obtained. The present invention also overcomes the difficulties in handling fine material of for example about 1 to 3 denier. Such materials do not slide readily over the vibration chute and accordingly are not drawn well into the nip of the two squeeze rollers. Above all, it has been found that fine fibrous material sticks to the squeeze rollers and that a perfect material passage to the subsequent conveyor belt is not ensured. These deficiencies are eliminated by correlating the overflow gutter and/or the spraying device directly to the baflle plate, so that the impregnating liquid serves as an additional gliding agent and that the fibers on the vibration chute are floated to the nip of the rollers by the treatment liquid. A sticking of the fibers to the bottom roller can be avoided by providing the conveyor belt behind the squeeze rollers with elastic stripping lips which project beyond the conveying surface and which touch the bottom squeeze roller. The fibers can be removed from the top squeeze roller by means of a doffer roller.

The conveyor belt with the elastic stripping lips may consist of rubber or plastic with shaped stripping lips. However, it is also possible to design the conveyor as a lattice belt and to provide at least part of the slats with elastic stripping lips.

Also, the floating apart of the fibers by the liquid which flows back from the nip of the rollers can be advantageously avoided by having the vibration chute perforated near its discharge end, so that the liquid which flows back can fiow through said perforations.

If a very uniform dense fleece is to be formed, it is advantageous to install an opening unit, for example a fine opener, between the hopper feeder and the vibration chute.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the present invention,

FIG. 2 shOWs the point of passage between the bottom squeeze roller and the conveyor belt shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the point of passage between the bottom squeeze roller and the conveyor belt as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 shows a slat plus stripping lip arrangement,

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an enlarged view of the upper portion of the inclined spiked lattice belt, and

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged view of the vibrating chute in combination with the overflow gutter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS belt 3, said drum functioning to strip excess material from the spiked lattice belt 3. A doffer roller removes the loose fibrous material from the spikes of the inclined lattice belt.

The loose fibrous material is conveyed to a vibration I chute 6 of a subsequent impregnating device and is equalized by the vibration. Above the vibration chute an overflow gutter 7 is arranged from which the liquid flows onto the loose fibrous material as a uniform thin film. In addition to the vibration of the chute, the material is floated by this liquid to the nip of the squeeze rollers 8 and 9. In this embodiment of the invention, the vibration chute 6 is suspended on plate springs 10 and is driven by a vibration unit 11. A doffer roller 12, provided for the removal of sticking fibers, is correlated to the top squeeze roller 8. From the bottom squeeze roller 9 the sticking fibers are removed by stripping lips 14 of a conveyor belt 13. This arrangement ensures an effective treatment of fine fibrous material. It has been found that not only synthetic fibers but also natural fibers including wool, flax and cotton can be processed effectively using the process and apparatus of the present invention.

The conveyor belt as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 consists of individual slats 15 which are fastened to straps 19 with a rubber strip 16 and a sheet angle 17 by means of rivets 18.

FIG. 3 shows a simpler design of a conveyor belt 13. This conveyor belt 13 consists of plastic or rubber and is provided with projecting stripping lips 14. In order to avoid contamination 'of the overflow gutter 7 by fiber fly, a batfle plate or guard 20 is arranged directly in front of the overflow gutter.

FIG. 5 shows schematically the upper end of the needle-studded inclined lattice belt 3 associated with the likewise needle-studded tambour roll or drum 4 for separating excess material from said needle-studded lattice belt. A doifer or beater roll 5 is provided for removing any adhering fleece from needles of the lattice belt.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a modified embodiment of the present invention comprising the tambour roll or drum 4 on the left-hand side of the apparatus which provides for the coarse separation (opening up or flufling up) of the fleece and an additional needle-studded roll 5 (fine opener) for the fine separation of the fleece on the right-hand side of the apparatus.

FIG. 7 schematically shows an enlarged view of the vibrating chute with an overflow channel disposed transversely above said chute.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art are intended to be included.

It is claimed:

1. An apparatus for the treatment of loose fibrous material which comprises a flexibly mounted vibration chute, a vibrating unit for vibrating said vibration chute, means or introducing the material being treated to the vibration chute opposing squeeze rollers disposed behind the vibration chute, the discharge end of said vibration chute extending in close proximity to the nip of said squeeze rollers, a liquid distribution means provided above the vibration chute for introducing a liquid into said chute and conveyor belt means disposed behind the squeeze rollers and in close proximity thereto, said conveyor belt means comprising a lattice belt containing a plurality of slats, at least a portion of said slats being provided with plastic stripping lips which project beyond the conveying surface.

2. The apparatus of claim '1, wherein the means for introducing the material being treated to the vibration chute is a hopper feeder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the hopper feeder comprises a plurality of spiked lattice conveying belts which convey the material through drum rollers and a doffer roller before introduction into the vibration chute.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the hopper feeder is provided with a spiked lattice belt at its bottom followed by an inclined spiked lattice belt which conveys the material to the vicinity of the vibration chute.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a drum is associated with the upper portion of the inclined spiked lattice belt to strip the excess material from said belt.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a doffer roller is also associated with the upper portion of the inclined spiked lattice belt to remove the loose fibrous material from the spikes of the inclined lattice belt.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid distribution means is an overflow gutter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid distribution means is a spraying device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a guard plate is provided directly in front of the liquid distribution means, between said means and the means for introducing the material to the vibration chute.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibration chute is perforated near its discharge end.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an opening unit is provided between the hopper feeder and the vibration chute.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt means is made of rubber or plastic.

.13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stripping lips extend along the back side of the slats and project from the surface of said slats, said stripping lips being guided by a sheet angle Whose surface is complementary with that portion of the stripping lip which does not project from the surface of said slats.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the slats, stripping lips and sheet angles are fastened to straps with rivets.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a doffer roller is associated with the top squeeze roller for the removal of fibers sticking to said top roller.

References Cited WILLIAM I. PRICE,

US. Cl. X.R.

Primary Examiner 

